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Joining a choir

People are having lunch in a food court in Canada when suddenly a woman making a phone call stands up and starts singing – “Hallelujah!” More and more people who had just been eating or chatting rise up and join in the chorus. At first, the bystanders look skeptical and surprised, then they listen in amazement to the chorus from the famous oratorio “Messiah” by George Frederic Handel.
This flash mob took place in 2010, but you can still feel its magic by watching the video on YouTube. 100 people singing together in an unexpected place – you can really sense the emotional power of music. As in this case, singing together in a choir can be an extraordinary experience and have a great impact on your personal growth. Read on to find out more about choirs and how you can join one – to have this great experience yourself.

Khoa Lê – https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/11/27/07/32/choir-5781096_960_720.jpg

1. What is a choir?

First of all we need to look at how a choir works and what types of choirs there are. In a choir, several people perform music together. It is usually led by a director or conductor. As there are an infinite number of different types of choirs, you can pick the one that best suits your interests. You can define choirs by their setting, for example church choirs that perform religious music at church services. Universities, schools or communities often have their own choirs that welcome people with no previous experience – but you can also find professional choirs if you already have professional vocal training. If you don’t have the time or ability to go to a specific place every week, a virtual choir via video call might be for you. Some choirs even focus on just a single composer, such as Bach choirs, or a particular type of music, such as gospel choirs, symphonic choirs or vocal jazz choirs. Just choose the one that fits you best!

2. Why should I join a choir?

Singing together makes you feel part of a group. You face the same challenges together and achieve great results in the end. It is a fun way to make friends and improves your ability to work in a team. Plus, it makes you more confident in front of others. And because you are part of a group, it is very easy to start singing on stage. In addition, it has a positive effect on both your mental and physical health. Singing in a choir reduces stress and releases endorphins. Your blood pressure is lowered, your lung function is improved, and your posture is better because you are exercising your stomach muscles. Apart from that, you learn a whole bunch of new things, you don’t need anything except your voice – and it’s just a lot of fun!

3. What do I learn?

As part of a choir, you may be exposed to some music theory. This means that you will have a better understanding of music and listen to it in a different way. You will be introduced to many new songs and composers, and learn how to read notes and sing in tune. Your sense of rhythm will improve, as will your ability to harmonise with others.

4. What do I need?

In most cases, your voice and some motivation are all you need to join a choir. In more professional settings, you may need to demonstrate some knowledge of music theory, vocal training and experience at an audition. As most performances take place at weekends, you should be prepared to sacrifice some of your free time – and have the patience to wait if your part of the song isn’t being rehearsed. Sometimes you will also need to plan some time for your own vocal warm-up before the choir rehearsal, to practise your harmony lines and lyrics.

5. How do I find a choir?

If you want to find the right choir for you, first think about what kind of music you want to perform and in what context. Then you can search the internet for “choir”, “singing group”, “a cappella” or “chorus”. But you can find choirs not only on the Internet. Local newspapers, advertisements and especially local entertainment magazines are good sources of information. You may also want to ask at your university, school or church – most of these institutions have some kind of choir, and most of them do not require any previous experience.

There is a huge variety of choirs to choose from – hopefully you will find the one that gives you all the benefits mentioned above. Joining a choir is an easy way to meet new people, get out of your comfort zone and be part of something beautiful. Just like the people in the food court in Canada, anyone can experience the unifying power of music. All you need is an open mind and motivation.

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